This invention relates to an outdoor power equipment unit, such as a lawn mower, having a plurality of ground engaging wheels which include a pair of caster wheels. More particularly, this invention relates to counterweights that may be removably attached to the mower over the caster wheels.
Lawn mowers are known which have a traction frame that carries an engine or other power source and is movable over the ground by virtue of various ground engaging wheels. In some cases, the traction frame is part of a vehicle on which the operator rides during a mowing operation. In this case, the traction frame includes a seat for the operator along with various controls the operator uses to guide and control the movement of the traction frame.
A cutting deck houses one or more rotary blades. The cutting deck is suspended from the traction frame for mowing grass during operation of the mower. The cutting deck suspension allows the cutting deck to float relative to the traction frame to better follow the contours of the ground.
The wheels which support the traction frame often include a pair of drive wheels and a pair of caster wheels. The drive wheels are driven by a traction system that is powered by the engine to allow the mower to propel itself over the ground. The traction frame is steered by differentiating the speed of the drive wheels. The caster wheels are not driven or steered, but are able to rotate about vertical axes during operation of the mower. The caster wheels are often mounted on the forwardmost ends of front outriggers on the traction frame such that the caster wheels are the forwardmost components of the mower.
In some cases, a grass catcher is desirably mounted on the mower to collect grass clippings generated by operation of the cutting deck. The cutting deck is fitted with a fan or blower. A duct leads between the fan or blower and a grass catching assembly at the rear of the mower. The fan or blower generates an air stream that is sufficient to entrain the grass clippings and propel such clippings through the duct into one or more grass collecting bags or hoppers in the grass catching assembly. The bags or hoppers are normally hung beneath a grass distributing hood that receives the grass clippings from the duct and causes the grass clippings to fall out into the bags or hoppers.
Mounting a grass catching assembly on the rear of the mower adds significant weight to the mower rearwardly of the drive wheels. First, there is the weight of the grass catching assembly itself, including the weight of the grass collecting bags or hoppers and the grass distributing hood. Secondly, as the mower operates and as the grass clippings are distributed into the bags or hoppers, the weight of the grass clippings becomes an important factor. This is particularly true when the grass being cut is wet or damp such that the grass clippings themselves are somewhat wet or damp. As the bags or hoppers become full of clippings, the weight added to the grass catching assembly by the grass clippings can easily equal the weight of the structural components of the grass catching assembly.
The weight added to the mower in a rear mounted accessory, such as the grass catching assembly described above, can disturb the balance of the mower. This in turn affects the operational characteristics of the mower, particularly when ascending hills.
To keep the balance of the mower approximately the same as when no accessory is added to the rear of the mower, it is conventional to add counterweights to the front of the mower to counterbalance the weight added by the rear mounted accessory. Traditionally, such counterweights comprise a number of weights that are removably hung from a mounting bar that is bolted to some forward portion of the traction frame. While the weights can be installed or removed from the mounting bar by lifting them on and off the mounting bar, the mounting bar itself is usually permanently left in place on the mower.
The counterweight system used in the prior art has various disadvantages. For one thing, the mounting bar is itself relatively expensive and complex to manufacture. In addition, the mounting bar cannot be bolted to the very front of the traction frame as that is the spot usually occupied by the caster wheels, which must be free to rotate about their horizontal axes of rotation and swivel about their vertical support axes. Finally, even when the counterweights are removed from the mounting bar when the rear mounted accessory is removed, the mounting bar itself is normally left in place. Thus, the weight of the mounting bar per se will also affect the balance of the mower if no rear mounted accessory is in place, this time shifting the balance forwardly instead of rearwardly.
One aspect of this invention is to provide a removable counterweight for an outdoor power equipment unit. The counterweight is configured to be installed and removed from the outdoor power equipment unit without using a weight mounting bar on the outdoor power equipment unit.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a removable counterweight for an outdoor power equipment unit having at least one caster wheel which pivots about a generally vertically extending caster hub. The counterweight is located on top of the caster wheel when in use.
Yet another aspect relates to a removable counterweight for an outdoor power equipment unit. The counterweight has a channel sized to fit over a structural frame member of the outdoor power equipment unit such that the counterweight can be dropped down onto and lifted off of the structural frame member. A lock is provided on the counterweight for securing the counterweight to the structural frame member.
Another aspect of this invention relates to an outdoor power equipment unit. The outdoor power equipment unit comprises a traction frame supported for movement over the ground by a plurality of ground engaging wheels including a pair of front caster wheels. An implement is carried on the traction frame for performing a ground or turf grooming or working operation. A pair of counterweights is located on the traction frame with each counterweight being located on top of one of the front caster wheels.